Dentists ready to accept your Halloween candy  if you can part with it

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld talks in one of his routines about his deep connection with candy.

“For the first 10 years of my life, the only clear thought I had was, ‘Get candy,’” he said.
When his parents let him know about Halloween, he reveals that his brain couldn’t even process the information.

“Who’s giving out candy — everyone we know? I gotta be part of this!” he said.

Depending on who you talk to, the consumption of Halloween candy can be good or bad.
Dentists warn parents to monitor how much of the sweet stuff children eat, telling people to avoid the sticky, gooey variety that clings to teeth.

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To drive home their point, many dentists are now urging people to bring in unused Halloween candy to receive cash, prizes and healthy treats. For example, Orchard Maple Family Dental in West Bloomfield is holding a Halloween Buyback event Nov. 1-2. The donated candy will be mailed to soldiers serving overseas in conjunction with Operation Gratitude.

“Last year we had 50 families donate about 240 pounds of candy,” said Dr. Warren Woodruff, general dentist at the practice.

Woodruff said Operation Gratitude staff began sending the candy off to the military about a decade ago and, as dentists jumped aboard to help, word spread.

“The dental community is still small and we hear about events from the American Dental Association and newsletters,” said Woodruff.

This year Woodruff said, besides paying for donated candy, the practice is offering face painting, raffles and door prizes along with the candy-for-cash project.

Orthodonist Thomas Jusino’s office is sponsoring a Halloween candy buyback event from 2-5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1 at his office on 27600 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills. Jusino will pay $2 a pound and will match the total amount paid out and donate the proceeds to the Alexander and Gabrielle Mansour Memorial fund.

The donated candy will be given to the Farmington Goodfellows Organizations, the Farmington Hills Inn for Assisted Living and Farmington Community School as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

At the Okemos-based Michigan Dental Association, spokesman Tom Kochheiser said buyback program have “taken off.”

“This is one thing we have suggested to members to make a difference in their community,” said Kochheiser, adding that, “and kids don’t need all that candy.”

Not all candy bad

Sinking your teeth into a rich piece of dark chocolate isn’t frowned upon by all.

Penny Barnes, co-owner of Waterford’s Ross Candy, knows her way around a candy counter.

“Dark chocolate is good for you, a little bit every day,” said Barnes.

Barnes said she has dentists buying chocolate as gifts at Christmas.

“We even sell a ‘sweet tooth’ and they buy them for customers,” she said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, chocolate’s reputation is on the rise after studies have shown it can be good for your heart.

“Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease,” according to Katherine Zeratsky with Mayo. “Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols — which are more prevalent in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate or white chocolate — also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. In addition, some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack.”

FYI

Families are invited to share in Halloween candy with military stationed aboard. At Orchard Maple Family Dental, 6280 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, dropoff times will be 4:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. Neighbors are welcome to stop by and share candy and greeting cards on both days. Donors will receive $1 per donated pound of unopened candy with a 5-pound maximum along with healthy snacks, new toothbrushes, oral health tips and a prize from the toy box.

Bright Side Dental in Royal Oak, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Canton and Livonia will buying back candy Nov. 1, up to 10 pounds, and donating the treats to Operation Gratitude. The office will accept candy for two weeks after Halloween. Visit www.brightsidedental.com.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, too, has been accepting Halloween candy for the past three years. This year they again will host “Treats for Troops” with Sheriff Michael Bouchard encouraging parents and children to include notes to the troops with the donation. Wrapped Halloween candy may be dropped off at any Sheriff’s substations. Schools wishing to do candy collection should designate a volunteer to bring the candy to Sheriff’s Headquarters in Pontiac by 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.

Tips for Treats

Tips about Halloween Treats from Delta Dental: Offer healthy alternatives to candy, limit the amount of time that sugar is in contact with your child’s teeth, teach your child to eat all foods in moderation, set up a candy bank.